This post is a part of the 2015 New Beer Every Day Beer Diary Challenge, #ottbeerdiary. Over the course of 2015, I will be trying a new beer every day. Please read the background in the link above, and enjoy reading about the most recently tasted beers below. If you’d like to join the challenge as well, let me know in the comments below, and be sure to check out Grown-up Travel Guide and his #grownupbeerdiary, where Andy Higgs came up with the diary format in use below. You can catch up on all of our posts as part of the challenge under the tag ottbeerdiary.
From December 1 through December 24, I’m going to try to use a Christmas Beer for each day of Advent as part of my #ottadvent15 2015 Advent Calendar. Follow along with the tag ottadvent15.
Day 353: December 19, 2015
Diary entry:
One of the last weekends of the year. And instead of Christmas markets, this weekend is all about the beer festivals. Right now, the winter beer festivals are in full swing, with at least four for me to choose from this weekend alone!
Today, I decided to stick to only one festival though.
Original plan was to take the train in to Breda and enjoy the beers at the Winterbier Festival Breda starting at 1PM, but there were train troubles all over my part of the netherlands today, so I had to take matters into my own hands instead, and drive over. That did limit my beer tasting potentials, but did give me some freedom in other areas.
I arrived in Breda and somehow, miracurlously managed to find a parking space in a lot that was way too full, especially with the number of people who parked over their lines taking up multiple spaces. For €14-daypass. Yeah, train would have been cheaper. *sigh*
I decided to stop for a bite of lunch before starting on the beer, and ran into Nils from BierNetwerk and his girlfriend at Cafe SamSam in the market square, and they invited me to join them as they were also about to order some lunch. An interesting bacon goat cheese sandwich.
Unfortunately, they wound up having to leave before hitting the festival, but I managed to find it ok, and had a decent couple of hours tasting a few of the beers.
Bulldog by Brouwerij Frontaal – 7.5% IPA – Fruity in front, and a bit bitter on the aftertaste. A good IPA for the non Hopheads.
Winterbier by Brouwerij De Beyerd – 8% Winter Ale – Fruity aroma. Spiced and a bit fruity. Bubblegum. A bit of the 8% coming through.
Limited Edition: Imperial Red Ale by Brouwerij Bliksem – 8.2% Imperial Red Ale – Surprisingly fruity. Much more so than I expected! But the. A nice bitter aftertaste follows.
Christmas Eve at a New York City Hotel Room by Evil Twin Brewing – See Beer-of the Day below.
Abominable Winter Ale by Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) – 7.3% Winter IPA – Amber color. Hoppy aroma. Definitely hoppy on the flavor as well. But spices mixed in with some malts. Quite good.
De Strijdende Kater by Ramses Bier – 10% Brown, Strong IPA – Collab with De Bierderie. This beer is for Oscar, a Beer Geek and Dutch beer icon. Smokey aroma. Tropical, rich flavor. With a nice underlying bitterness.
GROM by Brouwerij Bliksem – 10% Russian Imperial Stout – Dark brown/black. Decent tan head. Chcolate aroma. Nice chocolate coffee flavor base. They’re gonna barrel age this with vanilla. Could rock!
Rhodesian Bourbon Oak Aged by Brouwerij Frontaal – 12% Barleywine – First impression. Coconut, chocolate, and dark. But beyond that? YUM. I like this. Not oversweet. Not over alcoholic. Excellent. Try it!
Barrel Reserve – Dark Side of the Moon by Kissmeyer Beer & Brewing – 9.5% Imperial porter – A decent porter. Vanilla and dark flavors.
Ok, so maybe a few more tasters than I had originally anticipated, but spread out over a few hours, and I did wind up having a burger from Smaaker in the middle, so all was ok.
Ok enough, that I went to Tilburg on the way home to see the new Star Wars movie.
A good day!
The Beer:
Name: Christmas Eve at a New York City Hotel Room
Style: Imperial Stout
Producer: Evil Twin Brewing
Alcohol content: 10.0%
Bottle size: 0.2 l pour from a 12 fl. oz. bottle
Purchased from: Firma Bier at Winterbier Festival Breda
Christmas Eve at a New York City Hotel Room by Evil Twin Brewing. A 10% ABV Imperial Stout. Holy burnt tootsie roll! This has the flavors; the dark chocolate/caramel and some vanilla. But then a burnt smokeyness follows. Nice!
